Zhuangzi: Eliminate Subjective Distinctions and Accept the World with Equanimity
Zhuangzi: Eliminate subjective distinctions and accept the world with equanimity.
01
Practice with no mind, and life will be peaceful; do not connect your subjective delusions with the vulgar, and you will experience the laws of the Dao.
In Zhuangzi's teachings there is such a dialogue:
Nezha and Bi Zhi questioned the question of 'the Dao.' Bi Zhi said, 'Rectify your posture, grasp your senses, and a natural harmony will arise. Dim your wisdom, concentrate your mind, and lose your spirit, and you will return to the depths of your heart. Virtues will add a touch of brilliance, the Great Dao will dwell in your abode, and you will be like an unthinking calf, no longer pursuing your 'I.'
Nezha dozed off as Bi Zhi was still speaking, and Bi Zhi was overjoyed. He began to walk and sing: 'The body is like a shriveled bone, the mind like ashes extinguished, I have truly seen through it, I no longer maintain the old self. In a confused state, it is impossible to explain anything to him. What a remarkable person!','
In this dialogue, Nezha asked Bi Zhi about the teachings of the Dao, and Nezha fell asleep. This wisdom, of not being without mind and ignorance, can attain the Dao; it proclaims 'the Dao follows nature,' guiding the Dao back to simplicity.
Just as the *Tao Te Ching* says:
'The common people are noisy, I am quiet; the common people observe, I am taciturn.'
Others are discerning and scrutinize, while I remain foolish. To judge things in the same way is also so.During the Warring States period, Mengchang (Meng Tian) rewarded loyal officials with gifts, but he became suspicious of one official and wanted to dismiss him.Lu Zhonglian learned of this and went to persuade Mengchang: 'A monkey falls into water when it leaves the trees, and it is worse than a fish; if you compare it to climbing mountains, a talented horse is worse than a fox; a warrior's charge cannot stop an army, but if he loses his sword, he is no better than a farmer using farm tools and working in a field. Therefore, things have their strengths and weaknesses. Others may be unsuitable for certain tasks, and they say they are useless; even if they hear of something they cannot do, they say they are clumsy, and thus they are driven away. After being driven away, they will inevitably seek revenge, which is a lesson that people should remember.','
Mengchang said, 'You are right.' So he never dismissed that official.
For Mengchang, he judged people based on his own subjective perspective, wanting to drive away those who did not meet his criteria. This is a great mistake in dealing with people.
02
A person cannot tolerate the people and things around them, but instead uses subjective delusions to differentiate, this reflects a person's inability to tolerate and their fanaticism.
If you can accommodate the world and things, with your own simplicity and calmness to tolerate the outside's myriad forms, this is truly the Dao; and this is also the fundamental basis for dealing with things in accordance with 'the Dao follows nature'.
The *Grass Cutter's Treasury* says:
'Do not associate with the vulgar, nor isolate yourself from them; do not make things tiresome, nor do you enjoy them.'
This means that when dealing with people, you should not be swayed by trends, nor should you be aloof and detached; when doing things, you should not make people dislike or admire it.Truly understanding 'the Dao follows nature' means that 'everydayness is the Dao'—in life, do not think yourself too high-minded, do not be solitary, do not deliberately display your clarity, but instead, with a 'no-mind posture,' deal with the people and things around you. Even if there are people and things that you cannot accept, you should tolerate them instead of holding grudges.
So it is said:
Water becomes stagnant if it is too pure, and people become barren if they are too attentive.
This is a 'middle way'—a moderate attitude toward dealing with things, integrating oneself into everyday life, and dealing with external matters with a 'no-mind' perspective, without getting entangled with subjective distinctions.Written by: Country Wisdom Archives
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